My Dream Home Makeover

Having bought our house in 2007, prior to the property price crash and just prior to the arrival of Bean we have been lucky and unlucky in our choice. We had no house-buying experience, no real idea what we needed. Luckily we bought a house big enough to take a growing family (and my mother). Unluckily it is a house that needs to be adapted slightly to take the needs of our family, and that requires money.

As the house dropped in value with the price crash in 2007 we find ourselves with little equity and little money to make major renovations. If we did have the money though, number one on my list would be to knock down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room to create a better space to cook and live in the mornings and evenings.

We have a terraced house so it is long and thin and the kitchen is an extension on the end. It is very small (it will only take two people) and it is impossible to keep an eye on the kids when I am making dinner. Jelly Baby spent much time screaming in her highchair while I cooked dinner as she couldn’t see me, was too young to be left to play and there was no space to bring her into the kitchen with me.

Our house as it is…

Ideally I would knock down the wall, and keep the kitchen relatively the same design although some appliances might have to be moved. I would like to have a dividing worktop between the kitchen and the diner – so I could cook and watch the kids but still be able to keep them safe away from the hot kitchen. I would have a big dining table against the window with one side a bench with storage for books and toy and chairs on the other side. Toys (such as our play kitchen) and a soft comfy chair could be the other side and a small TV somewhere to keep us entertained while cooking. Photos of the family and a blackboard on the wall would provide the decoration. It would be a real family room. Bean (and eventually Jelly) could do their homework at the table while I chat to them about their day whilst stirring spaghetti bolognese. They could have the space to help me when I cook, and if I were to have another baby (oh how I would love to) they could sit in their highchair and play with toys happy that they were surrounded by everyone. Idyllic I know…and perhaps I can only dream, but it is a good dream!

I would have a big dining table and storage bench

A blackboard…

And best of all a kitchen overlooking the action… (like this but on a much smaller scale!)